Changeable-combination key lock



Nov. 10,1925. 1,561,207

E. M. BENHAM CHANGEABIJE COMBINATION KEY LOCK Filed Jan. 21, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov 10, 1925 07 E. M. BENHAM CHANGEABLECOMBINATION KEY LOCK Filed Jan. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR M. BENHAM, OF NORVVOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOSLER LOCK COMPANY,OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CHANGEABLE-COMBINATION KEY LOCK.

Application filed January 21, 1925' Serial No. 3,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR M. BENHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ohangeable- CombinationKe Locks, of which the following is a speci 'cation.

My invention relates to looks, and more particularly to locks of thetype commonly known as changeable combination key locks, and thisinvention relates specifically to an improvement of the lock which isthe subject-matter of an application filed by me April 26, 1922, SerialNo. 556,709, and entitled Changeable combination key locks.

In said prior and copending application I have described a lock having aplurality of commonly pivoted tumblers, some having pivotal movement inopposite direction to other tumblers. These tumblers are divided intothree sets, to wit, the main tumblers, which dog fingers on slidesadjustably carried on the bolt bar, the guard tumblers, which dogfingers on plates also supported on the bolt bar, and change tumblers,which dog fingers on other plates also mounted on the bolt bar. Theslides and plates above mentioned are preferably arranged in a stack,with a spacer plate intermediate each two of these elements, thesespacer plates also extending between adjacent tumblers.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to simplify and cheapenthe construction above referred to without detracting from theadvantages thereof. More particularly, the object of this invention isto eliminate the necessity of providing spacer plates in addition to themembers which cooperate with the tumblers.

Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with my invention, I provide slides for dogging the maintumblers. Intermediate each two slides I interpose a plate, which alsopreferably extends between two adjacent main tumblers. Some of theseplates are arrangedto cooperate with guard tumblers, and others of theseplates are arranged to cooperate with change tumblers. In this way, eachof these plates not only acts as a spacer plate for the slides and maintumblers, but also serves as an operative part of the guard and changemechanism of the lock.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had,attention is here by directed to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this application and illustrating one possible embodiment of myinvention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the lock;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the lock with thecover removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view and is taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view, showing the position of a main tumbler,the slide and bolt when the lock is unlocked in the regular y;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view, showing the position of a guard tumbleradjusted into unlocking position, and a cooperating plate carried on thebolt bar, which is shown in locked position;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view showing a change tumbler adjusted intounlocking position, and a cooperating plate carried on the bolt bar,which is shown retracted to such an extent that the regular key may bewithdrawn from the look while the lock is in unlocked condition;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a regular key;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a guard key; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a change key.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the lock mechanism is housed in a suitablecasing, comprising a box 1, having a cover 2. The lock mechanismincludes a suitable bolt bar 3, having a bolt portion 4. Th bolt bar isprovided with two pins 5, on which are nested or stacked the slides 6for the main tumblers], the plates 8 for the guard tumblers 9, and theplates 10 for the change tumblers 11. There are a plurality of slides 6and an equal number of main tumblers 7. Between each two of the slides 6is interposed either one of the plates 8 or one of the plates 10, andeach of these plates extends inwardly a suflicient distance to have itsinner end at all times disposed between tumblers is either '1 twoadjacent main tumblers '2'. In this way, each main tumbler 7 ismaintained at all times in alignment with its corresponding slide 6. Thetumbler sets I, l) and ll are preferably, but not n cessarily, pivotedon a single pin 12, extcn wardly from the base of the casing .L. numberof guard tumblers and the number 01 change tumblers may be variedbitrarily, and. it desirec, the cha blers may be omitted entirely.requirement is that for each gu rd in.

there is a corres onding guard plate p that for each change tumbler llcorresponding change plate 1 blers may assume various shapes.

sta nce, each regular tumbler 1:: shaped, pivoted at its rear, and ha 13at its front adapted to receive the 14 of the correspondi n "lide whenhe tumbler has been aligned 'rewith, by means of manipulating theregular i in the key tube 16 in the regular we after the guard tumblershave been set up by means the guard tumbler 9 may be rectz..wula with acut-awz portion 12 around tube 16. and have a rearu'ardly pro c fingeror shoulder portion 18 for on ment by a guard hey operating In tube 20,and at its front may be provide il with a forwardly projecting linger.21 adapted to enter r cess 22 in the correspond 'ng guard plate 8 whenthe tumbler has been properly adjusted by means oi the guard key 19.Each change tumbler i1 may be similar to the guard tumblers 9, or. iidesired, instead of providing a linger at its the i .ie provided with arecess 23 adapted to rev ve a finger 24 on the corresponding Jigs plateso that when. the change trmblers lrwc adjusted by propern; manipuh 3[lie change key in the l tube 20, the

front, as on the guard tumblers, edge or each tumbler ll :w a

cesses 23 of the change iblers 1i aligned with the lingers ch plates 10to permit sullicieut fell-action the lock while the locl: is dition.

As illustrated in the druwin' there are eight main tumblers and eightslides, one cooperating will each tumbler. is before stated, inteimediate each in unlocked conair:

1! J. 0,5 -.hes.e achanee b tumbler. Accordingi the l i guard and changetumblers seven lock illustrated. There are tour blers and three changeiilllllljlQl'S, guard and change tumblers ar ois alternating succession.r iccordingz lv are e ght bits 26 on tire regular l addition to the bit2b", which engages the lard tumbler or v.

bolt bar to slide the same, and four hits 28 in the guard key, and threehits 29 on the change key.

The operation of a loclc of this type being well-known, it is not deemednecessary nor proper to describe the operation thereoii beingsui'licient to say that this loci; operates in the n anner usual tolOClZS of this type.

ln the lock of my said prior application, the presence or" the spacerplates between the slides and tumbler plates necessitated the inclusionoi corresponding spacer plates betweei the tumblers. These spacer platesbetween the tumblers are new eliminated. Accordingly, for a given numberof turnblers the thickness of the lock is now reduced by an amount equalto the aggregate thickness 01" the spacer plates which were requiredheretofore and are now eliminated as separate elements. Conversely, andfor the same reason, in a lock oi a given tl'iicliness moretllll'llJlQlS can be accommodated in my improved lock. and more changes(i connination are available. The decrease in the number of parts for agiven number of tumblers decreases cost of materials and manufacture, aswell as decreasing the time and expense of assembly. All the adva; k sof my prior loch construction are retained, and the manner 01 operating,adjusting and resetting the lock is similar to the manner of ope 'ating,adjusting and resetting said prior lock.

lVhat I claim is i. In a lock of the character described, thecombination. with a first tumbler and a second tumbler adjacent thereto,of a bolt bar, and a plate carrieo on the bolt bar in alignment with thesecond tumbler and in overlapping relation with said first tumbler.

2. a lock of the character described, the

JLJJ. combination with a lirst tumbler and a second tumbler adjacentthereto, 01' a bolt bar, and a plate carried on the bolt bar inalignment with the second tumbler and in overlapping relation with saidfirst tumbler, said second tumbler and plate having a recess and tonguecooperation and relatively adjustable into and out of dogging relationwith each other.

3. In a lock of the character described, the combination with a firsttumbler and a second tumbler adjacent. thereto, of a bolt bar, and aplate carried on the bolt bar in alignment with the second tumbler andin overlapping relation with said first tumbler, said plate having arecess at its rear ec go and said second tumbler having a forwardlyextending linger, said second tumbler being adjustable to align saidfinger with said recess. V

l. In a lock of the character described, the combination. with a firsttumbler and a second tumbler adjacent thereto, of a bolt bar, ano aplate carried on the bolt bar in alignment with the second tumbler andin overlapping relation with said first tumbler, said plate having afinger projecting rearwardly from its rear edge and said second tumblerhaving a recess on its front edge, said second tumbler being adjustableto align said recess with said finger.

5. In a lock of the character described, the combination with a slidablebolt bar and a plurality of tumblers, of plates carried on said bolt barand extending between said tumblers in alternating relation therewith,and other tumblers cooperating singly with each of said plates.

6. In a lock of the character described, the combination with a slidablebolt bar and a plurality of tumblers, of plates carried on said bolt barand extending between said tumblers in alternating relation therewith,and other tumblers cooperating singly with each of said plates, aplurality of slides mounted on said bolt bar and each cooperatingindividually with one of said tumblers first mentioned, said platesbeing disposed between said slides in alternating relation therewith.

7. In a lock of the character described, the combination with a slidablebolt bar and a plurality of tumblers, of plates carried on said bolt barand extending between said tumblers in alternating relation therewith,and other tumblers cooperating singly with each of said plates, at leastone of said plates being a guard plate and at least one of said platesbeing a change plate.

8. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a plurality oftumblers stacked one directly upon another, a plurality of membersaligned singly with said tumblers and coacting therewith, and means forholding alternate tumblers stationary while the other tumblers areactuated.

9. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a plurality oftumblers stacked one directly upon another, a plurality of membersaligned singly with said tumblers and coacting therewith, said membersbeing stacked one directly upon another, and means, comprising alternateones of said members, for holding alternate tumblers stationary whilethe othersof said tumblers are actuated.

This specification signed this 12 day of January, 1925.

EDGAR M. BENI-IAM.

